Obasanjo, Fulani leaders blame security agencies, judiciary for worsening insecurity

Andrew Orolua, Abuja

A communiqué issued at the end of a meeting between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and leaders of Fulani communities in the South-West States of Nigeria, including Kwara and Kogi states has blamed security agencies and the Judiciary for the worsening insecurity in the zone.

It said that there appears to be “complacency among some public institutions such as the security and judiciary, where reported cases are not taken seriously and dealt with justly and promptly.”

Chief Obasanjo and some leaders under the auspices of the Gan Allah Fulani Development Association held the parley on Saturday, in Abeokuta, Ogun State, in an effort to understand the nature of crisis and facilitate the mitigation of the insecurity and criminality in South-West states and Nigeria in general.

The meeting resolved that joint community responsibility must be established among the Yoruba and Fulani leaders at the community levels.

It stated that from all the evidence, “those who perpetrate these crimes, there are both non-Fulani and Fulani”.

They resolved to do things differently and in a new way bring them out for sanctions.

The communiqué reads in part: “Fulani and other ethnic groups who know the criminals among them must expose and report them to the appropriate institution.

“Fulani leaders and other groups are urged to approach traditional institutions anytime they find something that is not right within their communities. They should refer concerns among themselves to the different levels of traditional leadership up to the paramount traditional rulers.

“That identified criminals within community should be handed over to the appropriate agency to be dealt with. Key stakeholders should be informed to ensure that justice or sanctions are carried out against culprits and not swept under the carpet”.

They also noted that there are Fulani who are born in the South West 3rd, 4th or even 5th generation who see themselves as children of Oduduwa, and who have nowhere to go except Oduduwa land.

“There are other tribes who feel so in Yorubaland, and there are Yoruba who feel so in other geo-political regions of Nigeria. So the idea of moving tribal groups en masse from one geo- political region to another is inpracticable and should not be talked about by leaders

“We have to work as one community through our various efforts and responsibilities to protect and safeguard the interest of the community. That presently, the Oyo State House of Assembly has a bill proposed on the open grazing that has passed the 1st and 2nd reading. Government should address the idea of Settled Grazing before full implementation of zero grazing.

“That criminal Fulani herdsman and non-herdsmen must be identified, exposed and brought to book, to serve as a deterrent to others. There must be punishment for lawbreakers. The same must apply to other criminals from other ethnic groups,” the communiqué added..

Participants agreed to meet within three months to review the progress of implementation of the recommendation.